No Canadians make touring Generation Adidas squad; Salgado, Valentin on the trip

Major League Soccer announced the roster of its Generation Adidas team that will go to Europe for a series of friendlies, and neither of the Canadian GA players was on the team.

Both Canadian players with GA status, reigning U-17 player of the year Bryce Alderson and teenager Russell Teibert (who played with the Canadian U-20 side in CONCACAF qualifying earlier this year), belong to the Vancouver Whitecaps. Neither appeared on the roster named by Sporting Kansas City coach Peter Vermes.

The roster is selected through a consultation process that includes Adidas, various club officials and Vermes. A preliminary list is created, and the final roster is then selected, after general managers and coaches are consulted. If they say players are too banged up or exhausted to make the trip, then they don’t go.

“A lot of the guys are in their first year in the league, and they need rest,” said Vermes.

Vermes said that he was sure Teibert’s name was part of the discussions, but it didn’t make the preliminary list, let alone the final one.

In a season hampered by injuries and the tinkering of coaches Teitur Thordarson and, later, Tom Soehn, the Niagara Falls, Ont. teen played in just 11 MLS matches this season.

Alderson isn’t a surprise, as he just received GA status and was signd the Whitecaps’ senior team in November. In his case, it would have been too much, too soon. And Alderson will be going to Sunrise, Fla. to take part in the next national U-20 camp later this month.

But Canadian teams will be represented on the GA squad. Omar Salgado, who the Whitecaps chose No. 1 overall in the 2011 SuperDraft, is on the team.

“I think, first off, Omar is a great talent,” said Vermes. “He’s going to be one for the future, no doubt. It’s going to be a pleasure to work with him and the rest of the guys.”

New Montreal Impact member Zarek Valentin also made the cut. Valentin was a first-round draft choice who was left unprotected by Chivas USA in the expansion process, and scooped by the Impact.

Most of the players on the GA team roster are 20 and older. The one notable exception is Luis Gil. He is only 18, but he got some playing time for Real Salt Lake this season as the club was stretched by injuries, so he’s actually ahead of some of his twentysomething GA teammates in terms of selection.

The team leaves for the Netherlands Dec. 5 and will play friendles against Ajax Reserves, FC Volendam and Almere City FC. Vermes became the first American to play in the Eredivisie as a member of FC Volendam in the late ‘80s.

Salgado is already across the Atlantic, training with Fulham in London. His training stint with the EPL side ends Dec. 4, perfect timing for him to join the GA squad.

GA 2011 touring team roster:
Goalkeeper David Bingham San Jose Earthquakes
Goalkeeper Zac MacMath Philadelphia Union
Defender Kevin Alston New England Revolution
Defender Sacir Hot New York Red Bulls
Defender Conor Shanosky D.C. United
Defender Kofi Sarkodie Houston Dynamo
Defender Michael Tetteh Seattle Sounders FC
Defender Zarek Valentin Montreal Impact
Midfielder Dilly Duka Columbus Crew
Midfielder Amobi Okugo Philadelphia Union
Midfielder Luis Gil Real Salt Lake
Midfielder Matt Kassel New York Red Bulls
Midfielder Jack McInerney Philadelphia Union
Midfielder Tony Tchani Columbus Crew
Forward Will Bruin Houston Dynamo
Forward Corey Hertzog New York Red Bulls
Forward Danny Mwanga Philadelphia Union
Forward Omar Salgado Vancouver Whitecaps FC
Manager Peter Vermes Sporting Kansas City

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Teibert: Canadian U-20s inspired by U-17 success (CLICK)